If you’re anything like me, dessert is non-negotiable—even on the nights I’m trying to prioritize better sleep. Enter this Tart Cherry Ninja Creami: a creamy, dreamy frozen treat that satisfies your sweet tooth while featuring ingredients associated with healthy sleep habits! Ultra creamy cherry ice cream is topped with a dark chocolate shell for the ultimate dairy, gluten, and refined-sugar free treat!
Made with real tart cherries, this healthy Ninja Creami recipe tastes like a cross between cherry sorbet and cherry cheesecake ice cream. It’s rich, refreshing, packed with flavor, and comes together with just a handful of wholesome ingredients. Whether you’re winding down after a long day or looking for a healthier late-night dessert, this tart cherry ice cream is the perfect addition to your evening routine!
Plus, it’s dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and incredibly easy to make. If you love Ninja Creami recipes, check out my Ninja Creami Recipe Round-up!
Why You’ll Love This Tart Cherry Ninja Creami
- Made with simple, wholesome ingredients and packed with protein
- Dairy-free and refined sugar-free, while being SUPER thick and creamy!
- Perfect for a late night healthy treat that won’t spike your blood sugar
- Easy to customize
- Great way to use tart cherry juice to support sleep!
- This ninja creami recipe is made without gums or pudding mix
Recipe video
Why Tart Cherry?
If you’re on the wellness side of social media, i’m sure you’ve seen tart cherries becoming increasingly popular, especially regarding sleep, thanks to their naturally occurring melatonin and plant compounds that may support healthy sleep patterns. While no dessert is a magic sleep solution, tart cherry juice has been studied for its potential role in supporting sleep quality as part of an overall healthy lifestyle and i’ll take all the help I can get! This Tart Cherry Ninja Creami a fun and delicious way to incorporate tart cherries into your evening routine!
creamy ninja creami recipes without pudding mix or gums
It can be super difficult these days to find a proper Ninja Creami recipe without added gums or pudding mix. But, I think i’ve cracked the code! After making 1873482734873 different Ninja Creami recipes, i’ve found that using a beef isolate protein creates the most luscious, creamy, thick protein ice cream without the need for added gums or pudding mix. There are so many great beef isolate protein’s out there, but I love Equip. You can use my code ‘DANIBREINER‘ for a discount!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at bottom of the post for the full measurements and instructions!
- Frozen tart cherries: I buy mine at my local Fred Meyer (Kroger) but most grocery stores have them! If you can’t find tart cherries, any cherries will work!
- Full-fat coconut milk: you can sub your favorite milk, just be sure to use a creamy, higher fat option for best results.
- Vanilla extract
- Maple syrup, honey, or monk fruit
- Vanilla beef isolate protein powder: You can use other proteins, however, I highly recommend using a beef isolate. This is the secret sauce to the creamiest, thickest creami’s! I highly recommend Equip.
- Pinch of sea salt
Optional additions:
- Collagen peptides
- Magnesium powder (ensure it’s a flavor you enjoy)
- Dairy-free white chocolate chunks or chocolate chunks for mix-in’s
How to Make Tart Cherry Ninja Creami
Step 1: Blend & freeze
Add the tart cherry juice, coconut milk, vanilla, sweetener, and sea salt to a blender. Blend until smooth and fully combined. Pour the mixture into your Ninja Creami pint container. Freeze on a level surface for at least 24 hours.
Step 2: Spin
Insert the frozen pint into the Ninja Creami and process using the Ice Cream or Lite Ice Cream setting.
Step 3: Re-Spin & add mix-ins
If the texture appears crumbly, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or tart cherry juice and process again using the Re-Spin function. Add your mix-ins and spin on mix-in sitting. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Ninja Creami Texture
- Use full-fat coconut milk for maximum creaminess
- Don’t skip the Re-Spin
- Add extra liquid one tablespoon at a time when re-spinning
- Let the pint sit on the counter for 5 minutes before spinning if it’s extremely hard
Flavor Variations
- Cherry Vanilla Dream: add extra vanilla extract and vanilla bean powder for a classic cherry-vanilla flavor.
- Cherry Cheesecake: Blend in dairy-free cream cheese before freezing and top with crushed gluten-free cookies.
- Chocolate Cherry: Add cacao powder or dairy-free chocolate chunks for a chocolate-covered cherry vibe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What Does Tart Cherry Ice Cream Taste Like? It has a bright, sweet-tart flavor that’s slightly tangy, fruity, and incredibly refreshing. Think cherry sorbet meets creamy ice cream.
- Can I Use Sweet Cherry Juice Instead? Unfortunately, we need whole cherries for this!
- Can I Make This Without Coconut Milk? Yes. Almond milk or cashew milk can work, though the finished texture won’t be quite as creamy.
- Is This Recipe vegan and/or Paleo? Yes, when sweetened with maple syrup or honey and made with compliant ingredients.
- Can I use plant-based Protein Powder? Absolutely, just keep in mind it may not turn out as thick and creamy as shown here!
More healthy Ice cream recipes to try
- Healthy no-bake ice cream sandwiches
- Strawberry shortcake ice cream
- Pistachio ice cream
- Strawberry shortcake ice cream bars
- Snickers ice cream cake
- Frozen yogurt bites
- Healthy cookie dough ice cream
- Homemade Dilly Bars
- Peanut butter cup nice cream without banana
- Blueberry crisp ice cream
Tart Cherry Ninja Creami Ice Cream
Ingredients
Ice cream
- 1 cup frozen tart cherries *or regular cherries
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk *shake the can, then measure!
- 1/2 cup coconut yogurt or greek yogurt
- 1 scoop vanilla beef isolate protein powder *see notes for subs
- 3-4 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or monk fruit
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Chocolate shell
- 3 tbsp chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Add the tart cherry juice, coconut milk, vanilla, sweetener, and sea salt to a blender. Blend until smooth and fully combined. Pour the mixture into two Ninja Creami pint containers. Freeze on a level surface overnight.
- Insert the frozen pint into the Ninja Creami and process using the Ice Cream or Lite Ice Cream setting.
- Use a knife to scrape around the edges. I like to add 1 tablespoon of milk or tart cherry juice and process again using the Re-Spin function. Add your mix-ins and spin it on the "mix-ins" function.
- In a small bowl, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Melt until smooth and creamy. Pour over the ice cream. It'll turn into a magic shell (or you can pop it back in the freezer for a couple minutes for a super firm shell!). Enjoy!
